Free Essay On Story Of Stuff: Cell Phone Chargers

Products go through various stages before they reach the intended consumer. Indeed, it is crucial for those involved in the process to pay attention to the various aspects of the product life. According to Leonard, products go through five main stages. These are Extraction, Production, Distribution, Consumption and Disposal (The Story of Stuff). The focus of this paper is how the cell phone chargers go through these stages and the possible implications for the environment.

Extraction

According to Leonard, this process involves the removal of the ingredients from their original position. Thus, the removal involves the material economy (The Story of Stuff). Mobile phone chargers range in size and materials used to produce them. For instance, solar phone chargers primarily use solar energy to power them. The portable solar cell phone chargers are made up of the solar energy collecting component. Accordingly, they include a switching component and an adapter cable which transfers power to the battery. Solar energized chargers are eco-friendly and pose minimal risk to the environment (Hsu).

Production

Production begin after obtaining the necessary materials. Leonard explains that this stage involves taking the materials through particular processes to make the final product. Some products may require mixing with certain substances (The Story of Stuff). Those involved in the production of the mobile phones also manufacture the cell phone chargers as the accessories. One of the chief pollutants that come from the production of the cell phone chargers is the toxic emissions produced by the synthetic chemicals. Indeed, some of the wastes reach the waterways and the farms causing high levels of harm to the human society (Leonard 82).

Distribution

Distribution is the third stage of the product. It involves all the stops from the natural habitat to the retail outlet. Thus, distribution includes all the suppliers, workers, component producers, financiers, intermediaries, warehouses and modes of transport (Leonard 107). The mobile phone users are the chief consumers of the cell phone chargers. There are numerous transportation costs attached to the cell phone chargers. The cost largely depends on the factors such as distance and transport mode. Advertisements of the mobile phone chargers occur through the TV adverts, internet, and social media as well as through the billboards.

Consumption

Consumption is the fourth stage of the product life. Notably, it involves availing of the final product to the market for potential consumers to buy and use (Leonard 144). The product life of the cell phone chargers is highly dependent on their usage, storage conditions, and type of phones which use them. According to a survey by Ongondo and Williams, higher education students, especially in the universities, represented the highest percentage of the consumers of mobile phones and their accessories. Accordingly, 19 million students in Europe consume mobile phones and its accessories. Interestingly, USA has over 18.2 million while United Kingdom has 2.4 million (Ongondo and Williams 1617). Certainly, the mobile phone chargers exhibit the perceived obsolescence in many ways. According to Leonard, obsolescence involved the intentional identification of products consumption with status (The Story of Stuff). For instance, the manufacturers consistently focus on persuading the consumers of the need for them to embrace the new cell phone chargers (Leonard 163).

Disposal

Disposal is the final stage of the product. Indeed, at this point the product has seemingly lost its value and thus is to be discarded (The Story of Stuff). Mobile phones are some of the most valuable electronic products found in large quantities along the waste streams (Ongondo and Williams 1617). Indeed, this stage requires proper policies and laws that govern the disposal of cell phones and their accessories. Leonard suggests the enactment of the Extended Producer Responsibility Laws (EPRs). Ideally, these statutes hold the producers accountable for the end-of-life management of their gadgets (Leonard 256).
Therefore, it is crucial that the government and corporations involved in the cell phone industry take stern actions towards safeguarding the environment. Indeed, they should ensure an environmentally sensitive process from the extraction to the disposal of the cell phone accessories.

Works Cited

Hsu, Po-Jung John. "Portable cell phone battery charger using solar energy as the primary source of power." U.S. Patent No. 6,977,479. 20 Dec. 2005.
Leonard, A. The Story of Stuff. OH: Simon and Schuster, 2010. Print.
Ongondo, F. O., and I. D. Williams. "Greening academia: Use and disposal of mobile phones among university students." Waste Management 31.7 (2011): 1617-1634.
The Story of Stuff. Leonard, A. 2010. DVD.